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Costa Rica · Puerto Viejo & Cahuita

Day trips, seasonal sights and closed places

What depends on the season or has special rules, what no longer opens and the longer outings from Puerto Viejo.

7 places2 closed or restricted, flagged

  1. 1

    WildlifeClosed or prohibited

    Tree of Life (botanical garden and wildlife rescue)

    Playa Negra road, Cahuita16.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A former wildlife rescue centre with about 4 ha of gardens, founded in 2008 on the road to Playa Negra in Cahuita.

    Several travel directories list it as permanently closed and we found no source confirming a reopening. To see rescued wildlife, go to the Sloth Sanctuary or the Jaguar Rescue Center instead.

    Source: Tripadvisor – Tree of Life Wildlife Rescue Center listing · 2025 · +1

    Cannot be saved: it is closed or prohibited.

    Practical details and sources

    Nearby: Playa Negra (Cahuita) (1.9 km) · Cahuita town and Afro-Caribbean culture (3.1 km) · Playa Blanca–Punta Cahuita–Puerto Vargas coastal trail (3.4 km)

    Sources: Tripadvisor – Tree of Life Wildlife Rescue Center listing · Puerto Viejo Satellite – Tree of Life

  2. 2

    WaterRestricted access

    Snorkelling on the Cahuita reef

    Off Punta Cahuita, departing from Cahuita town11.5 km from the centre

    Entry
    from about $45
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Guided outings to the coral areas off Punta Cahuita and Puerto Vargas, within about 600 ha of protected reef.

    You may not snorkel the park’s reef on your own: only with an accredited guide or operator, who usually takes you by boat to Punta Cahuita. For unguided snorkelling, try Punta Uva on calm days.

    Source: GetYourGuide – Snorkel in Cahuita National Park · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Shared tours of about 2 hours from about $45–49 per person on booking platforms (2026); the price varies with what is included.

    Tip: Book with accredited local operators in Cahuita and pick calm days: with swell, visibility drops sharply. Use biodegradable sunscreen and do not touch the coral.

    Nearby: Puerto Vargas sector (Cahuita National Park) (1 km) · Cahuita National Park (1.1 km) · Playa Blanca–Punta Cahuita–Puerto Vargas coastal trail (3.7 km)

    Sources: GetYourGuide – Snorkel in Cahuita National Park · Costa Rica Experts – Cahuita National Park guide · SINAC – Parque Nacional Cahuita

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  3. 3

    WaterSeasonal

    Salsa Brava (surf break)

    Off the east end of central Puerto Viejo0.5 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A powerful, hollow reef wave off central Puerto Viejo, the best known on the country’s Caribbean coast. Surfers are easy to watch from shore.

    It only works well with the December-to-March swell and is for expert surfers: it breaks over a sharp, shallow reef, especially at low tide. If you are not advanced, watch from shore and take lessons at Cocles or Playa Negra.

    Source: Tico Times – Surfing the Caribbean’s waves · 2022 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Nearby: Puerto Viejo farmers’ and artisans’ market (0.4 km) · Puerto Viejo nightlife (0.5 km) · Afro-Caribbean food: rice and beans, rondón and patty (0.5 km)

    Sources: Tico Times – Surfing the Caribbean’s waves · Costa Rica Waves – Salsa Brava

  4. 4

    WildlifeSeasonal

    Leatherback turtle nesting at Gandoca Beach

    Gandoca village, accessed via Sixaola17.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A refuge beach where a conservation project patrols at night to protect leatherback nests; visitors can join with guides or through the volunteer programme.

    Seasonal only: leatherbacks nest roughly from March to July, peaking in April and May. Outside that window there are no tours; hike the refuge trail or take a dolphin tour instead.

    Source: Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler – Leatherback turtles nesting in Gandoca · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: Go only with authorised guides or the local project: no white torches or flash near the turtles.

    Nearby: Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge trail (3.9 km) · Punta Mona (4.5 km) · Manzanillo village and beach (7.2 km)

    Sources: Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler – Leatherback turtles nesting in Gandoca · Gandoca Tours – Sea turtle nesting site

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  5. 5

    AdventureOpen

    Trip to Bocas del Toro (Panama) via Sixaola

    Sixaola border, about 40 km south of Puerto Viejo23.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    $7
    Hours
    7:00 to 17:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    From Puerto Viejo you cross the border on the Sixaola-Guabito bridge and continue by boat from Almirante to the Bocas del Toro archipelago; many make it a multi-day trip.

    Source: Costa Rica Guide – Costa Rica/Panama border crossing · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Costa Rica exit tax of $7 (plus a fee if paid at the border) and $3 at Panama immigration; shuttles including the boat cost about $25–35.
    Hours
    Border open 7:00 to 17:00 Costa Rica time (8:00–18:00 Panama time), according to travel guides.

    Tip: Bring your passport, proof of onward travel from Panama and cash in US dollars. Requirements change: confirm them with immigration before you go.

    Nearby: Leatherback turtle nesting at Gandoca Beach (9.6 km) · Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge trail (12 km) · Punta Mona (14.1 km)

    Sources: Costa Rica Guide – Costa Rica/Panama border crossing · Travel Excellence – Requirements for crossing at Sixaola

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  6. 6

    CultureOpen

    Yorkín: Bribri women’s community tourism (Stibrawpa)

    Yorkín river on the Panama border, via Bribri and Bambú19.1 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Required

    A day trip that starts with an hour-long canoe ride up the Yorkín river to a Bribri village, where a women’s association shares its culture, food and cacao making.

    Source: Cultural Survival – Bribri women lead community-based tourism · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Booking
    Arranged in advance through the association or Puerto Viejo operators.

    Nearby: Cacao tour with Bribri families (9.6 km) · Bribri waterfalls (Volio and others) (13.5 km) · Kéköldi indigenous territory (14.8 km)

    Sources: Cultural Survival – Bribri women lead community-based tourism · Tripadvisor – Stibrawpa Indigenous Tourism

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  7. Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica7

    WildlifeOpen

    Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica

    Penshurst, Valle La Estrella, about 10 km north of Cahuita23.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    $30
    Hours
    8:00 to 15:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    A sloth rescue and rehabilitation centre running since 1992, with short guided visits and an optional canoe ride on the river. Touching or holding the animals is not allowed.

    Source: Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica – official site · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Buttercup Tour (1 h): $30 adults (13+), $15 children 5–12, under-5s free; canoe $5 extra. Insider’s Tour (2 h): $150 adults.
    Hours
    Buttercup Tour hourly from 8:00 to 15:00 (no 15:00 slot on Sundays and Mondays). The Insider’s Tour runs Tuesday to Sunday.
    Booking
    By reservation through its website or email.

    Nearby: Tree of Life (botanical garden and wildlife rescue) (7.5 km) · Playa Negra (Cahuita) (9.4 km) · Cahuita town and Afro-Caribbean culture (10.6 km)

    Sources: Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica – official site

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